Top-seed Blackhawk down, then out

Wednesday

NORTH FAYETTE TWP. -- For some teams, reaching the WPIAL semifinals can be a new and unique experience.

For the Blackhawk girls, though, this wasn’t the new experience they envisioned.

For the Cougars, being behind in Wednesday's game was unique.

Unbeaten and the top-seed, the Cougars never led and fell behind by as many as 17 before losing to Elizabeth-Forward 78-64.

“This was the first we’ve been behind all year and we just couldn’t get into any rhythm,” said Blackhawk coach Steve Lodovico. “Give Elizabeth-Forward a lot of credit, they did a great job defensively.”

Elizabeth-Forward badgered Blackhawk’s outside shooters and limited Blackhawk to seven first half field goals – the Cougars averaged over 25 per game in their first 24 wins – and led 39-29 at intermission.

“I told them at halftime that we were getting out-scrapped, we weren’t getting the loose balls,” Lodovico said. “Elizabeth-Forward was a very good team and it seemed we were always about a half step behind.

“Usually we are a pretty patient team, but we weren’t that way this time.”

In the second half, Blackhawk began to connect on some three-point shots but Elizabeth-Forward always had an answer. The closest Blackhawk got was within eight points -- the last time coming with 6:44 left when Alexis Graham's three made it 59-51.

Elizabeth-Forward’s Kylie Owoc answered with a three, though, and the gap was never in single digits again. Prior to Wednesday, the Cougars were allowing an average of just 41 points per game and had only allowed one team to score more than 60.

The Cougars, who had four players score in double figures – Graham had 19, Chassidy Omogrosso 16, Bridgett Shaffer 13, and Halle Denman 10, now have a week to get ready for the state playoffs.

“We’ve been through this before, we lost in the semis last year,” Lodovico said. “This will sting for a while but we’ll come back. There’s another title out there.”

While Blackhawk left with tears in its eyes, one local team was able to celebrate. Elizabeth-Forward's win pulled Central Valley into the PIAA playoffs.

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